WOODLANDS ROAD AND BUKIT TIMAH EXPRESSWAY (Measures to alleviate traffic jams)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Communications whether some measures can be taken to alleviate the traffic jams which stretch from the junction of Woodlands Road and Bukit Timah Expressway to the Singapore Immigration checkpoint.

The Minister of State for Communications (Dr John Chen Seow Phun): Sir, may I have your permission to take Questions 8 and 9 together as they are related?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, the traffic congestion at the Woodlands Checkpoint is the result of the large number of vehicles leaving Singapore at the same time. On a typical weekday, about 44,000 vehicles pass through the Checkpoint, half of which pass through between 5 pm and 10 pm. As Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and Woodlands Road are the only two major access roads to the Checkpoint, the traffic queues at their junction are not surprising.

In view of this and in anticipation of future increases in traffic, the Government has built a new Woodlands Checkpoint together with supporting road infrastructure. The new Checkpoint, which will be operational in the latter half of this year, will be linked to the BKE and Woodlands Road. Traffic to the Checkpoint will then be separated from traffic to Woodlands Centre Road.

An electronic Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) will be implemented at the new Checkpoint. Variable Message Signs (VMS) will be placed along BKE, Woodlands Road and other nearby roads, to provide real-time information on the traffic condition surrounding the Checkpoint.

Mr Ravindran suggested allowing motorists to pay tolls using cashcards. My Ministry has been planning this for some time and I am pleased to inform him that we will be automating the collection of tolls and the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for foreign motorists with effect from January 2000. This system will be implemented at both the Causeway and the 2nd Crossing. With the new system, motorists will be able to pay VEP fees and/or toll charges using stored-value cards. The new automated system is a convenient method of payment that will also facilitate quicker clearance at the Checkpoint.

With the new Checkpoint, the new road system, the new automated toll/VEP collection system, the traffic situation at Woodlands Road and BKE should improve significantly.

However, should the traffic congestion persist despite these improvements, we may have to consider introducing congestion pricing to optimise the use of the roads leading to the Checkpoint.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I am happy to hear that the Government is making improvements to reduce the congestion at the Woodlands Checkpoint. My experience is that sometimes there are not enough staff at the immigration booths. On one occasion, I was stuck there for over an hour.

Mr Speaker: Order. Mr Chiam, are you making a speech? Can you please ask your question?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Is the Government willing to call for all hands on deck if there is a congestion as far as the manning of the immigration booths is concerned?

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, the question, rightfully, must be answered by the Minister for Home Affairs. As far as I know, the Immigration Department has been trying to speed up clearance. This is what I have been told. I am not aware of the particular instance that Mr Chiam has encountered. But, certainly, I would ask my counterpart to look into it.